Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Second H. Sam - s/t EP on Shit Music for Shit People and a Record Store Day PIAPTK release

Got a notice about this solo project from Second H. Sam on the Shit Music for Shit People label, looks like they're based 'somewhere between Portugal and Italy"...founded a few years back they're trying to combine great music and art together, putting a lot of effort pairing artists together and getting sleeves like the one above.

The couple of tracks I found on his bandcamp page sound like a ramshackle trudging Doo Rag busted folk with slide guitar, and SHS's deep reverb Leonard Cohen style drawn out vocals. Random percussion picks up this warped carnival feel on "Cherie Cherie Maria", clinking bottles and metal trash can lids.
Another one, "Sick About You and I" has a delayed warble tremolo guitar, picking up the pace and mixing a kind of junkyard folk with Serge Gainsbourg. Plus plenty of time at the multitracker fiddling around with just the right kind of weirdo layers. This one's got a drum machine and a little bit of a garage feel, loose with layers and laid back vocals, super clean. Check out these samples below and pay that sweet air shipping for this one from Shit Music for you, I mean, Shit People Records.

Shit says:

In less than a year of live shows he amazed the audience with his minimal approach to the music, inspired by glowing romantic scenarios, seen through psychedelic and lo-fi glasses. In his music you can find a little of Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams, Fred Neil, Nick Cave, Lee Hazlewood, Fabrizio De Andrè, Daniel Johnston, Syd Barret, Beck & Thurstone Moore. They say about him: "A blues author from the age of the computers, a Muddy Waters with a MIDi keyboard, a Daniel Johnston without obesity and ADHD syndrome. Reverbered semi-acoustic guitar with vocal sinking in a sea of tape-echoes".His debut EP is available in vinyl 7" from the italian/portuguese label “Shit Music For Shit People”.The four songs were recorded at the “Outside Inside” in Montebelluna, with the artistic production of Emanuele "Nene" Baratto from the Movie Star Junkies.Sam is the singer of the Hormonas from Venezia and the Buzz Aldrin from Bologna. He was also the singer of the John Woo, a punk wave band from the 2000s.

The other thing I wanted to be sure to mention before this weekend is this Record Store day release from Mike over at People in a Position to Know Records, this really cool split single from Wooden Wand and Catherine Irwin covering Hazel Dickens, who I'm just finding out about myself, and it's always great when a record like this can be just great on it's own and paying tribute to a deeper music history...an underappreciated songwriter who wasn't in it for Coachella or Bonoroo, I don't even care if I spell that right. Old time protest music and not making a dime.

Wooden Wand's side is as minimal and just plain heartbreaking as this material should be, slow, mindfully recorded acoustic guitars, and a smooth backup vocal. Recorded in perfectly silent pin drop warmth that ought to be perfect for turning up and putting the speakers in the windows of the porch. Reminding me tonally of that first Iron & Wine record, when you can get away with a single mic and a guitar, why wouldn't you? Because you would probably sound stupid. James Toth does not.
Catherine Irwin does "Lost patterns" an equally intimate tiny room recording with a lonesome lap steel and barley strummed guitar. It takes a single like this with such attention to detial that makes you want to find out more about the original artist who could write songs about sitting at the kitchen table drinking beer. Great harmony's and Catherine has that crazy range from growly despair to southern twang...all housed in PIAPTK's matchbook style letterpressed cardboard sleeves.

Wooden Wand & Catherine Irwin Sing the Songs of Hazel Dickens 7"
Wooden Wand and Catherine Irwin (of Freakwater) pay tribute to legendary bluegrass protest singer, Hazel Dickens.
This was INTENDED to be (and hopefully still will be) a Record Store Day Exclusive. Unfortunately, despite our sending in the info to them months ago, following up, jumping through hoops, etc, they STILL haven't put it on the list. So, until they recognize it as an official RSD exclusive, I will have some copies here for sale. Once they get back to me about it, I will be taking these down and official RSD stores will be the only places to get them. And that, of course, means you probably won’t be able to get them. 90% of the run went out to distro already, so I only have a few copies anyway. Limited to only 459 copies worldwide, (but numbered out of 500) each 7" comes in a beautiful, hand-set-letterpressed, silkscreened, and numbered Arigato Pak.

Doesn't look like there are any left from Mike direct at this point but you can hear samples of this single over at PIAPTK, look for it this Saturday, or send him an email, you never know.

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